Rotary engine.



m. sewn.

4 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

M m Ma QM WITNESSES Nu. fififiwll'l'. Patented Oct. I6, I900. W. LAMBERT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Ayplicafion filed mm. 26, 1900.

4 Sheets- Sheat 2.

(Ho M0391.)

lllill I! INVE NT UR WILLIAM LAMBERT No. 660m. Patented Bet. l6, I900. W. LAMBERT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

' (Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WITNESS 5 I INVENTU 0a 2w, R

WILLIAM LAMBERT n4: NORRIQ Farms co. wow-owe, WASNWGTDN, n a

Patented 0012.16, I900.

' 1N0. 66mm.

W. LAMBERT. ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed. Mar. 26, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No Model.)

INVENT mg WILLIAM LAMBERT WILLIAM LAMBERT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALlFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,017, dated October 16, 1900. Application filed March 26, 1900. Serial No. 10,309; (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of motors known as rotary engines and distinguished by a rotary piston provided with radial heads movingin a circular path under the impact of steam or other motive agent to effect the rotation of the piston from which power is transmitted by means of well-known forms of gearing. Ordinarily engines of this type are very wasteful, owing to the difficulty of securing effective cut-off mechanism and because the reciprocating abutments ordinarily employed do not act with suificient promptness to prevent considerable lost movement of the piston after the piston-heads have passed the steam-induction ports.

The objects of my invention are to produce a compact engine equipped with rotary abutments geared to the engineshaft andincapabio of tardy action, to provide an automatic cut-off for regulating the admission of steam, to arrange for the perfect balancing of the piston, and, in fine, to construct an engine adapted to develop a maximum amount of power with a minimum expenditure of motive agent, whether it be steam or explosive gases.

To the accomplishment of these objects and others subordinate thereto the preferred embodiment of my invention comprehends the construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section through my engine complete on a line transverse to the axis of the engineshaft. Fig. 2 is an end elevation illustrating the arrangement of the abutment-gearing. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite end of the engine-casing, showing the valve-chests and controlling-valves in section. Fig. 4: is a sectional view through the end of the casing illustrated in Fig. 3 and designed to disclose the construction and arrangement of the valves and steam-chests, together with the valve-actuating mechanism comprehending the automatic governor or cut-off. Fig. 5 is a central horizontal section through the engine complete. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the engine complete and illustrating more fully the construction and arrangement of the governor and valve-gearing, and Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the elements shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the numerals of reference employed to designate corresponding parts in the several views, 1 indicates an engine-casing ing surrounded bya steam-jacket 2 and havheads 3 and 4 bolted upon the opposite sides thereof and provided with axle-bearings 5 and 6 for the engine-shaft 7. The casing 1 is of somewhat peculiar form, com prising a central cylindrical piston-chamber S and substantially-cylindrical abutment-chambers 9 and 10, within which latter revolve a pair of rotary abutments 11 and 12, mounted upon abutment-shafts 13 and l4,extending through the heads 3 and 4 of the casing and journaled in thimble-bearings 15, bolted to the heads of the casing. These shafts are driven by means of abutment-pinions 13 and 14C, keyed thereon beyond the head 4 and meshing with a gear-wheel 16, keyed upon the shaft7 and of a diameter equal to the combined diameters of the pinions 13 and 14, the pinions 13 and 14 and the gear-wheel 16 corre sponding in size and relative movement to the abutments 11 and 12 of the piston 16, it being obvious that each abutment must rotate twice to each rotation of the piston and must be incapable of independent movement. These rotary abutments are about one-half the diameter of the rotary piston 16, with the periphery of which they contact, and are provided,respectively,with depressions 1'7 and 18, which receive the diametrically-opposed piston-heads l9 and 20, extending radially from the piston 16 and contacting with the innerannular face of the piston-chamber or cylinder 8, the annular space defined between the op posed piston 1.6 and its chamber constituting the steam-space 21, intercepted by the heads 19 and 20.

Immediately in advance of the forward edges of the openings between the abutmentchambers and the piston-chamber the head 3 is pierced by the induction-ports 22 and 23, which are coincident with the steam-space 21.

and through which steam or other motive agent is admitted to the interior of the easing simultaneously at diametrically-opposite points and between an abutment and a pistonhead.

In Figv 1 I have illustrated the engine with its parts related as they are at the instant of admission that is to say, at that instant at which the controlling-valves, to be described, are operated to permit the motive agent to pass into the casing. The steam thus admitted will obviously rotate the piston 16 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 until the heads pass the exhaust-ports 24 and 25, piercing the wall of the piston-chamber immediately behind the abutment-chambers and serving to permit the steam to exhaust from the steam-space 21 into the steam jacket 2 and from thence through the port 26,1 from which in vpractice the exhaust-pipe is ed.

The steam or other supply is efiected by means of rotary regulating-valves 27 and 28, mounted within cylindrical valve-chests 29 and 30, having foot-flanges bolted to the head 3 of the casing and provided at their opposite ends wit-h elongated bearings 31 and 32, in which are journaled short stud-shafts 33 and 34:, extending axially from the controllingvalves 27 and 28 and having keyed or otherwise secured upon their ends the valve-pinions 35 and 36. The controlling-valves are obviously designed to permit the admission of steam twicednring each revolution of the piston, inasmuch as the said piston is provided with a pair of diametrically-opposed heads, against each of which the steam is designed to expand when they have passed either of the induction-ports. I therefore recess the valves at diametrically opposite points to provide substantially-quadrantal steam-chambers 27 and 27 and 28 and 28 the intermediate solid portions of the valves serving to effectually balance their movements. To each of the valve'or steam chests is led the usual steam-supply pipe 37, through which motive agent passes to the inductionports whenever the chambers of the valves are brought into coincidence with the pipes and ports, which in the present caseis effected twice du ring each revolution of the piston .as the valves are timed to rotate therewith. For the purpose of operating these valves to control the admission of the motive fluid to the interior of the engine-casing I prefer to employ a governor-wheel 38, keyed upon the reduced end 39 of the engine-shaft 7 and having an extended reduced hub 40, upon which is revolubly mounted a governor-pinion 4:1, meshing with the valve-pinions 35 and 36. The governor-pinion is provided upon its outer face with two diametrically-opposed pairs of lugs 42 and 43, and between the lugs of each pair extends the inner end of one arm 44 or 45 of a governor-lever46 or 47, there being two of said levers arranged pivot-ally upon diametrically-opposite spokes of the governor-wheel 38 and each comprising, in addition to the armstat and 45, the somewhat longer counterweighted arms 48 and 49, upon which are adjustably secured the counterpoises 50 and 51, which tend under the action of centrifugal force to swing the bell-crank levers against the resistance of spiral springs 52 and 53, secured at their opposite extremities to the outer ends of the arms 48 and 49 and to the spokes 54: and 55 in advance thereof.

The operation of my engine is as follows: Supposing the parts to be related, as illustrated in the drawings the steam or other motive agent will pass to the interiors of the valve-chests from the pipes 37 and will pass through the chambers 27 and 28 of the valves 27 and 28to the induction-ports 22 and 23, through which the steam will find its way to the interior of the casing and will be liberated within the steam-space 21 between the abutments and the piston-heads 19 and 20, which have just passed the induction-ports. Under the impulse of the steam the heads will be driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, and the piston 16 will be rotated to drive the engine-shaft 7 and with it the belt-pulley 56 or'other power-transmitting device-movable therewith. As the piston rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l the abutments l1 and 12 will rotate i in the direction of the arrows in said figure by reason of the abutment-gearing. (Illustrated in Fig. 2.) Continued movement will carry the piston heads '19 and 20 beyond the exhaust-ports 24: 25, permitting the exhaust of steam from behind the heads and presenting said heads into the depressions or pockets 17 and 18 of the abutments 1i and 12, said pockets permitting the heads to pass the abutments and to be presented beyond the next induction-port, at which time the abutment depression or pocket will be closed by the wall of the abutment-chamber to present a solid abutment extending across the steamspace immediately in the rear of the induction-port, in immediate advance of which the head is now located to receive renewed impetus under asncceeding head of steam. The admission'of steam'to the induction-ports 22 and 23 will be properly regulated by the rotation of the controlling-valves 27 and 28 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3 inasmuch as the valve and governor pinions are all of the same diameter, thus causing the valves to rotate with the piston, but permitting the ingress of steam through each induction-port twice during each rotation of the piston-that is to say,as each of the valvechambers is brought into apposition with a port. Supposing, however, that the speed of the engine should be acceleratedas, for instance, by relieving it of its load or by the material decrease of the load-the counterweighted arms of the governor-levers 46 and 47 will be urged outwardly under the impulse of centrifugal force against the resistance opposed by the springs 52 and 53. The effect of this movement of the governor-levers will be to impart an advance rotation to the governor-pinion 41, which will accelerate the movements of the valve-pinions 35 and 36 to cause the closing of the induction-ports, and thereby effect the cut-off of the steam-supply to permit the engine to operate for the remainder of its stroke under the expansive force of the occluded steam.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have produced a rotary engine of simple, compact, and durable construction comprehending positively-cooperative elements and equipped with rotary abutments and automatic cut-01f mechanism; but while the present embodiment of the invention is believed at this time to be preferable and while its consumption of the motive agent is economical, still I do not desire to limit myself to the structural details defined, but reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations as may be comprehended within the scope of the protection prayed.

lVhat I claim is- 1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotary piston and a pair of ro tary abutmeuts within the casing, abutmentgearing upon the exterior of the casing, controllingvalves likewise mounted upon the outside of the casing, and a governor intermediate of the piston and controlling-valves.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with induction-ports in one head, of a rotary piston provided with heads, a pair of rotary recessed abutments designed to be engaged by the piston-heads and geared to the piston, valve-chests upon the exterior of the ported casing-head, rotary valves within the valve-chests and controlling the induction-ports, gearing operatively connecting the valves with the piston, and means for leading a motive fluid to the valve-chests.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with induction-ports piercing one head thereof, of a piston having radial piston-heads, a pair of recessed rotary abutments, abutment-gearing exterior to the casing, a pair of valve-chests mounted upon one head of the casing and inclosing the induction-ports, a pair of rotary valves Within the valve-chest, each of said valves being provided with a plurality of chambers, and means for operating said valves.

t. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a rotary piston, and abutments, said casing being provided with induction-ports in one head, valve-chests mounted upon the head of the casing and covering the inductionports, a rotary valve in each valve-chest and provided with diai'netrically-opposed peripheral chambers, gearing for said valves, and a governor comprising an element of said gearing.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a shaft, a rotary piston thereon, and rotary abutmentsin operative relation to .the piston, valve-chests upon the exterior of the casing, rotary valves in the valve-chests, a governor-wheel carried by the shaft, gear ing intermediate of the valves and governorwheel, and means carried by the governor- Wheel and operated by centrifugal force to accelerate the movement of the valves.

6,, In an engine, the combination witha casing, piston and a pair of rotary controllingvalves, of valve-pinions, an engine-shaft, a governorwheel mounted on said shaft and provided with an extended hub, a governorpinion revolubly mounted on said hub and meshing with the valve-pinion, and counter- Weighted levers carried by the governor-wheel and operatively connected with the governorpinion to accelerate the movement of the latter under the impulse of centrifugal force.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, piston and shaft, of a pair of rotary controlling valves, valve pinions movable therewith, a governor-wheel mounted on the shaft and having an extended hub,agovernorpinion loosely mounted upon said hub in cooperative relation with the valve-pinions and provided with lugs extending from one face, spring-retained counterweighted bell crank levers mounted on the governor -wheel and having one arm in engagement with the lugs upon the g0vernor.-pinion, whereby the movement of said levers under the impulse of centrifugal force and against the tension of said springs will accelerate the movement of the governor-pinion to effect the early closing of the controlling-valves.

8. In an engine, the combination with acasing, a rotary piston and shaft, of a pair of valve-chests mounted upon one head of the casing, rotary valves within said chests and provided with stud-shafts at one side exclusively of said valves and journaled in the end walls of the valve-chests, valve pinions carried by said stud shafts, a governorpinion meshing with the valvepinions, and a governor mounted upon the engine-shaft and operatively connected with the governor-pinion to efiect the acceleration of the latter for the purpose of effecting an automatic cut-oft.

WILLIAM LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

WM. DIETERLE, F. E. Ross.

IIO 

